10 other reasons to visit London

2012 may be all about the Olympics, but the cultural hub of Europe has a lot more to offer

World on your plate When you are in a truly global city, you know your diet’s going for a toss. For Indian fine dining, there’s Cinnamon Club that was formerly the home of the Old Westminster Library and Quilon, a Michelin starred restaurant that serves South Western Coastal cuisine. If you are seeking authentic British cuisine, there’s Hix, a trendy restaurant in Soho as well as Master Chef Tom Pemberton’s Hereford Road if you have the stomach for calf’s brain or roast suckling pig. The afternoon tea ritual at the Ritz Palm Court takes you back to the colonial era; alternatively, head to Tony’s Pie and Mash shop, David Beckham’s favourite spot for a traditional East London meal. You could also feast on truffled scrambled eggs at Le Petit De Maison.

Don’t drop while she shops We’ll grant you a visit to Lillywhites at Piccadilly Circus – one of the world’s oldest and largest sports stores, and one that’s full of great bargains – but don’t even think about hanging out at Oxford Circus with your wife. It’s not worth shopping amid the hordes of tourists. Instead, stroll down Sloane Street or Kings Street. London truly comes alive in its lanes, so try to find nondescript art galleries and anonymous street side cafes.

Follow Jack the Ripper’s footsteps Follow the trail of probably the world’s most famous criminal with one of London’s infamous thrill-a-minute Jack the Ripper Walks that take you through dark alleys and under archways that re-create the sinister ambience of another time and place — one when Londoners walked these streets in fear.

Embrace the alternative In London the alternative is the mainstream, so to be different you have to find the alternative within the alternative, if that makes any sense. Go for a few musicals with the kids but the stuff you really should be looking out for is the rich mélange of fringe and site-specific theatre the city plays host to. Since these operate on a small scale and take place in venues that can be as diverse as a pub, an old basement or even a hotel bathroom, you’ll have to look hard to find them. The Guardian’s theatre blog usually has most of the information if you read carefully. Also check Punchdrunk’s website (one of the finest alternative theatre companies) regularly for updates.

Scour the underground London’s underground music scene is unbeaten in the world. Try and get your hands on some of the most unusual sounds that operate outside of the mainstream.